Last-minute shoppers take advantage of extended store hours

Monday

Dec 23, 2013 at 10:39 AM

Retailers such as Kohl's and Toys R Us kept their doors open all weekend.

By Caitlin DineenCaitlin.Dineen@StarNewsOnline.com

The last weekend before Christmas is usually defined by busy shopping malls, overstuffed parking lots and the light sweat of last-minute-shopping panic.Not this year.Retailers such as Kohl's and Toys R Us kept their doors open all weekend. Kohl's remained open from 6 p.m. Friday and will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.Similarly, Toys R Us stayed opened from Saturday morning and will close for the holiday at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve.While area malls and stores were busy Sunday afternoon, some area residents chose to take advantage of the late-night shopping option."It's wonderful," said Jennifer Macdonald as she walked around the toy store on Oleander Drive just after 11 p.m. Sunday.Macdonald, who was shopping with Matthew Wisz for his son, did not know the store was staying open for 87 hours straight to accommodate shoppers."We were literally running" said Wisz, of Wilmington. "The first thing out of my mouth was 'When do you close?'"Wisz said he and Macdonald work evening hours, and they thought they only had minutes to shop when they arrived around 10 p.m.As long as shoppers were OK moving around store employees restocking shelves, they could avoid long lines while buying last-minute gifts.Toys R Us officials announced the store's extended holiday hours Dec. 17."With only eight shopping days remaining until Christmas, we are offering customers extended, uninterrupted time in stores, providing them the opportunity to shop whenever is most convenient for them – whether early in the morning or late at night," said Troy Rice, executive vice president for stores and services.Wisz and Macdonald, who work for a Verizon call center, said they understand how retail hours fluctuate during the holiday season, but they felt bad for the employees working the extra hours.Company officials said it was to make last-minute shopping easier for customers, but it would probably help their bottom line, too, Wisz said."If they're open longer, they'll get more shoppers in," he said.Kohl's, on Old Eastwood Road, will have been open 100 hours when it closes for the holiday Tuesday night.Sunday night just before midnight, the Kohl's parking lot was nearly empty. Just six hours earlier, customers were circling the lot hoping to find a parking spot.Shoppers there, like Wisz and Macdonald at Toys R Us, said the extra shopping time was appreciated.Amber Ponnett said she had to work Monday and Tuesday, leaving her little time to complete her Christmas shopping.Visiting Kohl's earlier in the day Sunday, Ponnett saw long lines and lots of customers. She opted to come back later and avoid that chaos.